Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I am a Dream Reporter

I am still a little slow in returning to my own blog but I wanted to let you all in on what I have been doing elsewhere. I am now an official "dream reporter" for Jess LC's Make Under My Life blog. I am so excited to have this opportunity and I just know it is exactly what I am supposed to be doing right now. I will be blogging every Saturday about what it looks and feels (and smells and tastes) like to follow my dreams. As raw and authentic as possible. I really hope that you will join me there!

Hi everybody! My name is Ashley Inzer and I have some big dreams. For as long as I can remember I have been a dreamer and not a do-er. I constantly get tons of ideas, get really excited about them and then quietly let them go without acting on them. There are a ton of things that I have allowed to hold me back…fear of failure, fear of success, insecurities, jealousy, fear of responsibility, money mindsets, debt, getting older….the list could go on forever. So here I am, at 32 years old, ready to kick some serious dream butt. When Jess asked me to be a “dream reporter” for her blog I felt some serious fear. What if I can’t do it? What if people think I am ridiculous? What if I am too lazy or unorganized or a terrible writer? But somewhere deep in my gut I know that this is exactly the thing I need to do to end the “dreaming only” cycle and start the doing process. First I want to mention that I am not “prepared” to be a dream reporter…I do not have my ducks in a row, I don’t have a specific plan, I am not a life coach or a self-improvement guru or a writer with a blog filled with amazing content that will help you on your way to your dreams. This whole thing is about the process. Its about the raw realities and authentic experiences. This is an experiment to document exactly what it looks like when a woman decides it is her birthright and responsibility to follow her dreams and live within her purpose.

To get a better understanding of where I am coming from here is a bit about me and my dreams….

I created a “personal statement” for myself a long time ago….”Creator of beautiful experiences”. Since I am a multi-talented person (I enjoy doing lots of different things), this can manifest in a variety of forms. Ultimately if someone encounters me on any level I hope that when they leave they have had a beautiful experience and are inspired to live authentically and with intention. My dream is to be an entrepreneur and to inspire people to dwell within the world of possibilities and to live creatively with intention. I feel my purpose is to inspire people to live authentically.

I have had an entrepreneur mindset since i was a kid. At 7 years old I was going door-to-door selling my own watercolor paintings (for 10 cents) and loom-weaved potholders (for 25 cents). There was never a weekend when I wasn’t selling something in my front yard or trying to explain to people why a certain office supply (that I happen to find in a drawer in my room) or a cup of my special recipe lemonade (that probably just had 2 extra cups of sugar added to it) would make their life so much better.

I have also always loved creating experiences for people. As a kid I would put on productions (fashion shows, carnivals with free prizes, cooking lessons, etc) and go around the neighborhood and pick up other kids in my wagon and bring them to the “event”. As an adult I have coordinated, produced and designed several special events as well.

I also happen to be a designer and artist. I love working in every medium possible. Painting, ceramics, sewing, embroidery, illustration, photography….I love it all. I currently make my living as an Art Director designing print materials mainly for women’s magazines like More, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Budget Travel, etc. Also recently I have been working with brides to create print materials and DIY decor to create a truly authentic wedding that is specific to the couple. I started a blog almost a year ago to document my crafty creations and to communicate what it looks and feels like to live an authentically creative life. Unfortunately when we moved, in September, to a new state I kind of lost my center and have been struggling personally (with being so unhappy at my job and wanting to follow my dreams so badly) that my blog has paid a price. I am ready to get back to it. I was never happier than when i was communicating and sharing my story and connecting with other like-minded peeps. I love stories. I want to tell stories because they really are what bring us all together. I love hearing other people’s stories and connecting on that level.

I am so ready to do this dream thing that I can hardly stand it. I have taken several steps to get me going in that direction (mainly personal steps like hiring a coach, a nutritionist and a boot camp physical trainer) though I am still on the edge about exactly what I want to launch. Starting Feb 1st I will be taking a business class (http://www.unconventionalguides.com/100biz.htm) with Chris Guillebeau and I will leave my 28 days with him with a business plan in place (the dream will sprout legs!).

So hopefully all of that makes some sort of sense. The most important thing for me is to be honest and authentic about where I am in this process. It is all very raw right now for me as I don’t have a definite course of action laid out….I only know what I want. I am very nervous about stepping fully into my dreams….I have major financial concerns (especially since I am the only one in my home generating income at this point – my partner is in school full time – and we have a good bit of debt) as well as issues with my confidence and trusting myself to make decisions from my heart. I believe that each person is different and each person has the ultimate power to create the life that they want to live. I don’t want to live re-actively, I want to live creatively (and I don’t mean only in the artistic sense) and with intention. I don’t want another year to go by where I am just wishing that I could be doing something else or being someone else. I want to inspire other people to live authentically as I am doing it myself. I like the idea of revealing the good and the bad…the true path to living my dreams.

As scary as it all seems, spending my life outside of my purpose for yet another year seems a lot more terrifying. When I step back and get that perspective it doesn’t seem so much scary as it seems necessary, important and responsible. (I wonder what the world would look like if every single person was dedicated to living within their true purpose?) So what do you think? Will you go on this journey with me?

About Me

Thank you for stopping by, I am so glad you are here! Just a bit about me...I aim to live an authentic and creative life. I love design. I love craftiness. I love possibilities.I love connecting with people who love pretty things and who are passionate about living whole-heartedly.